Department of Transportation Services KAILUA – The City and County of Honolulu’s Department of Transportation Services (DTS) will begin Phase 9 of construction for the Kalapawai Roundabout Improvement Project on Wednesday with work occurring along South Kalāheo Avenue between Kailua Road and Kuʻukama Street This phase is tentatively scheduled for completion by mid-June with construction hours from Monday to Friday Phase 9 work is being initiated due to the discovery of a previously undocumented waterline alignment that conflicts with planned drainage infrastructure in front of Kailua Beach Center DTS will also begin developing a design solution for the utilities affected in this newly identified area South Kalāheo Avenue will be closed in both directions 24/7 between Kailua Road and Kuʻukama Street and motorists traveling through South Kalāheo Avenue will be detoured through Kuʻulei Road Residents are advised to allow extra time and expect increased congestion during construction hours Visitors are encouraged to explore other beaches along Oʻahu’s east shore or use TheBus Route 671 from Kailua Town for convenient access to Lanikai For more information on the project, construction schedules, detour patterns, and remaining phases, visit www.kalapawaiproject.com This federally funded project includes several improvements Copyright © 2025 Department of Transportation Services John Tamahere McCabe of Kailua pleaded guilty to a count of wire fraud, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. McCabe was scheduled to be sentenced Oct. 16. While claiming he would help the 78-year-old man sell his yacht, McCabe instead falsified documents to transfer ownership to himself, federal prosecutors said. McCabe then pocketed the profits and spent the money on himself, prosecutors said. He also persuaded the victim to transfer his $1 million Irvine home into a company McCabe controlled, falsely claiming it would pay off in tax benefits, prosecutors said. McCabe took out $1 million in loans on the home, draining it of its equity, according to prosecutors. McCabe defaulted on the loans, forcing the home to be sold in foreclosure and leaving the victim homeless, prosecutors said. The total loss for the victim has been calculated at $1,814,000, according to prosecutors. City News Service is the nation’s largest regional wire service and is headquartered in Los Angeles. TimesOC Subscribe for unlimited accessSite Map Crime in Hawaii Already a Honolulu Star-Advertiser subscriber? Log in now to continue reading A 42-year-old Kailua man pleaded guilty Thursday to a federal crime for defrauding a 78-year-old Orange County John Tamahere McCabe pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud Attorney’s Office of the Central District of California announced Friday McCabe initially offered to help the 78-year-old man sell his yacht McCabe used fabricated documents to change ownership of the yacht to his own name and diverted the proceeds of the sale to his own personal bank account and used most of the proceeds for his own personal purposes McCabe also convinced the man to transfer his $1 million home in Irvine to a limited- liability company McCabe controlled He told the victim that this would protect his most valuable asset and provide tax benefits McCabe also took out $1 million in loans secured by the man’s house and drained it of all its equity and the man’s house was foreclosed on District Judge Fred Slaughter scheduled McCabe’s sentencing for Oct The 42-year-old faces a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison with the help of the Irvine Police Department Attorney Jennifer Waier is prosecuting this case The Judiciary urges anyone who is 60 years of age or older who has been a victim of financial fraud to call the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 833-FRAUD-11 (833-372-8311) managed by the Office for Victims of Crime is staffed by professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing victim’s needs and identifying next steps Reporting can aid authorities to identify perpetrators of fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud quickly can possibly increase the chances of recovering losses Big Island Video News A view the pilot Aliʻi Drive traffic pattern and parking layout (1 of 3) via the County of Hawaiʻi Hawaiʻi - The pilot project will add 46 free parking stalls on Aliʻi Drive between Kailua Pier and Hualālai Road (BIVN) – A pilot project that will convert Aliʻi Drive into a one-way street in order to add more free parking for Kailua Village will begin on Thursday “This pilot project grew out of community concerns over the lack of affordable parking in Kailua Village,” said County of Hawaiʻi Mayor Kimo Alameda in a Friday news release “By providing free parking along Aliʻi Drive we can create a more vibrant and accessible community for our residents and businesses we will be assessing the success of the new traffic pattern and we appreciate the community’s patience during this trial period.”  The 90-day trial will add 46 free parking stalls officials say they will seek approval from the Hawaiʻi County Council to make the new traffic pattern permanent A view the pilot Aliʻi Drive traffic pattern and parking layout (2 of 3) via the County of Hawaiʻi The Hawaiʻi County Department of Public Works will be working to complete the striping of the road and will add new signs to advise drivers of the changes DPW will also be monitoring traffic in order to make any changes such as adjusting traffic light synchronization “Our road crews will be watching the lights so that we can make any necessary adjustments,” said Neil Azevedo our goal is to address any impacts to traffic on the side streets and roads.” A view the pilot Aliʻi Drive traffic pattern and parking layout (3 of 3) via the County of Hawaiʻi Traffic will move in a south-bound direction with a mix of angled and parallel parking stalls on the mauka side Motorists using an angled parking stall will need to reverse in a method intended to increase safety by providing drivers with a better view of traffic as they exit drivers should first use their turn signal to indicate their upcoming movement Filed Under: Kailua-Kona Tagged With: Alii Drive, Kailua Village Copyright © 2025 · Dynamik-Gen on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in Hawaii island An aerial view Thursday shows a portion of Alii Drive becoming a one-way street with free parking options The Big Island thoroughfare Alii Drive will become a one-way street in a 90-day trial period in hopes to provide more parking for residents and businesses there Locals and visitors stroll through vendors at Street Eats a Kailua Village Food Truck Festival on Alii Drive Hawaii County will add free parking on Alii Drive — the main road in Kailua-­Kona — on Thursday by turning a portion of the road into a one-way street Forty-six free stalls will overtake the northbound (mauka) lane of Alii Drive between Kailua Pier and Hualalai Road in an effort to improve parking access for the Kona Historic Business District The coastal road will remain a southbound-only one-way street for a 90-day trial period while the county assesses any changes in traffic congestion or the need to synchronize any of the stoplights “This pilot project grew out of community concerns over the lack of affordable parking in Kailua Village,” Mayor Kimo Alameda said “By providing free parking along Alii Drive we can create a more vibrant and accessible community for our residents and businesses.” executive director of the Kailua Village Business Improvement District said community members at the parking meetings he’s attended were “excited that Mayor Alameda and his administration are trying to find a solution to add more free parking” in the shopping area where privately owned lots charge $12 to $21 hourly for parking “There’s no easy solutions (because) there’s no county or state land around historic Kailua Village especially Deputy Managing Director Merrick Nishimoto and acting Public Works Director Neil Azevedo kudos for leading the effort,” Wilson said “I’m very happy with it.” Wilson said the change of making Alii Drive one-way will “take some getting used to for a lot of community members” and is likely to cause some traffic disruption He added that he’s eager to see how the 90-day trial period goes and remains confident that Alameda’s administration will develop a “Plan B that is workable for this historic village” if the road changes starting Thursday can’t be a permanent solution The addition of a mix of straight and angled parking stalls will be done through lines painted by the Department of Public Works The county requires that all 45-degree-angled stalls be reversed into to give the driver a better view of oncoming traffic when exiting  KAILUA – The City and County of Honolulu’s Department of Transportation Services (DTS) announced Friday that it will begin Phase 8 of upgrades to the Kalapawai roundabout located at the intersection of Kalāheo Avenue and Kailua Road fronting Kalapawai Market Phase 8 of the project is set to start on Wednesday January 8 and is tentatively scheduled for completion by March 18 Phase 8 will include the Kāneʻohe-bound lane closure of Kalaheo Avenue exiting the Lanikai area between the bridge and Kalapawai Market Motorists exiting Lanikai will need to detour through the park similar to the detour during Phase 1 of the project back in January 2023 Due to unforeseen utility lines discovered in Phase 6 and additional coordination with the respective utility agencies Phase 8 will start on Wednesday to prevent any loss in project schedule and to have the roundabout completed by summer of this year Phase 6will recommence once Phase 8 is completed Phases 1 through 5 and Phase 7 have been completed Residents traversing through this area should allow for extra time to get through Kalapawai and expect congestion during construction times Additional information on the project, construction schedules, detour patterns and remaining phases can be found here: https://www.kalapawaiproject.com/ This federally-funded project will include various improvements including an upgraded roundabout with higher-quality materials raised pedestrian crossings in the immediate vicinity of the roundabout and new drainage infrastructure to address frequent storm water ponding Drainage infrastructure will include permeable pavements The construction manager for the project, Manthos Engineering, can be reached at: (808) 540-4577. Residents can also contact the City’s Department of Transportation Services at (808) 768-8321. Email inquiries can be sent to dtsteprojects@honolulu.gov Office of the Mayor new parking restrictions will take effect on 11 streets in Kailua to facilitate enhanced street-sweeping efforts to improve water quality in nearby streams Additional restrictions will follow on Monday The new regulations will be enforced twice a month—on the first Monday and first Thursday of each month—from 9 a.m Using an alternate-side sweeping schedule; parking will be prohibited on one side of affected streets on the first Monday with restrictions shifting to the opposite side on the first Thursday no vehicles may be parked on designated streets The Honolulu Police Department will issue citations to vehicles in violation of the new rules The initiative is designed to provide street sweepers with clear access to curbs allowing for more effective debris removal and reducing the risk of pollution entering storm drains and nearby waterways These streets were specifically chosen because they contain storm drain screens that help prevent debris from flowing into the city’s drainage system Regular sweeping ensures these drains remain clear allowing for proper water flow and reducing environmental contamination The City’s Department of Facility Maintenance conducted a 12-month study to determine optimal sweeping schedules The first Monday and first Thursday of each month were selected as they had the lowest number of parked cars minimizing disruption for residents and businesses These dates also avoid conflicts with refuse collection schedules This parking restriction initiative was developed in collaboration with the Kailua Neighborhood Board and local community members committed to improving water quality and protecting the environment please contact the Department of Facility Maintenance: Contact: Saani FongPhone: (808) -768 – 3387Email: saani.fong@honolulu.gov KAILUA – The City and County of Honolulu’s Department of Transportation Services (DTS) and Department of Facilities Maintenance (DFM) have completed Phase 5 of upgrades to the Kalapawai roundabout Phase 6 of the project is set to start on Monday and is scheduled for completion by end of January 2025 Phase 6 will include a road closure on the mauka bound lane of Kailua Road fronting Kalapawai Market All 9 phases of the project are on track to be completed by summer of 2025 though schedule delays can occur due to unforeseen conditions Residents traversing through this area should allow for extra time and expect congestion during construction times We ask travelers to please exercise patience and caution when driving through this area The construction manager for the project, Manthos Engineering, can be reached at: (808) 518-1853. Residents can also contact the City’s Department of Transportation Services at (808) 768-8320. Email inquiries can be sent to dtsteprojects@honolulu.gov Privacy Policy | About Our Ads To cohesively address the ongoing vandalism of public bathrooms safety and homeless issues at the historic Kailua Pier Big Island lawmakers have put forward a resolution to form a working group for the pier and Kailua Bay Hawaiʻi Sen. Dru Kanuha introduced Senate Concurrent Resolution 119 Draft 1 that requests the Department of Land and Natural Resources to convene a Kailua Bay Advisory Working Group to foster coordinated oversight and effective management of the area with federal Following a public hearing with the House Committee on Water and Land The resolution will now be heard by the House Finance Committee it will need a floor vote in the House for final approval Kailua Bay and the pier fall under the management of multiple government agencies including the state’s Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation About 150 to 250 people use the pier and bay daily with that number increasing when an anchored cruise ship shuttles people to the pier the Department of Land and Natural Resources said in written testimony The state collaborates with many Kailua Pier users for management strategies The state said it recognizes the public safety concerns due to the unlawful activities that take place after hours the state implemented emergency rules in late 2024 that established closure hours for the pier from 10:30 p.m The department is currently working on a permanent version of these rules The bay hosts paddlers from around the state during the iconic Queen Lili‘iokalani Regatta in September and has been the backdrop to the Ironman World Championship Race for decades also provided testimony in support of the resolution She started working as a cruise ship greeter for Destination Kona Coast in 2013 She is now the pier coordinator for the company’s Aloha Greeting Program Over the years of volunteering on the pier Witzel said she’s noticed a difficulty in determining which government entity oversees “various negative situations.” Witzel explained how the damaged public bathrooms with clogged drains and vandalized portable toilets resulted in complaints from a majority of the cruise ship guests the first Vice President of Kai ‘Opua Canoe Club saying having the Department of Land and Natural Resources available as an avenue to communicate needs from recreational to cultural to business is something those who use the pier “desperately need.” Atwood said it is sometimes difficult to coordinate the needs of all the users cruise ships and businesses operating in the area Atwood specifically recalled the cleanup over the weekend where the Ocean Defenders Alliance pulled out old tires from the bay He didn’t know about it and thought that was something the Kai ʻOpua Canoe Club would have liked to participate in There needs to be a way for everyone to be aware of all activities and needs at the pier more demands will be placed on the bay and pier,” Atwood added Hawai‘i County Mayor Kimo Alameda said the Kailua Pier is not just a structure “It is a vital part of our island’s identity and heritage reflecting the rich cultural history that has shaped this region for generations,” Alameda stated we take a critical step toward addressing the long-term challenges and opportunities at the Kailua-Kona pier.” Subscribe! Honolulu Magazine | Honolulu Family Just as I’m bemoaning the dearth of local craft ice cream parlors in Kailua I drive past a door on Ku‘ulei Road newly painted with a trio of ice creams Please Come Again opened in early November as if in answer to my craving feels like a hip boutique that happens to sell ice cream Different-size scoops are available in a cup four-flavor flight and an affogato topped with freshly pulled Tradition Coffee Roasters espresso SEE ALSO: Ultimate Guide to 11 Luscious Local Ice Cream Shops Most of the other flavors showcase local ingredients Like the Tropical Rainbow Sherbet made entirely of local fruits Cinnamon Malasada featuring Agnes’ Portuguese Bake Shop goods Guava Lava swirled with Aloha Bites guava jam a mind-bending concoction of cream infused with Tradition Coffee Roasters 100% whole Kona beans Although Please Come Again hasn’t been crafting ice cream for very long the flavors and textures show staying power Stay tuned for grab-and-go pints and cakes And a little birdie told me to look out for a poha berry and basil combo coming soon Get the best experience and stay connected to your community with our Spectrum News app. Learn More Hawaii — Pearl City catcher Tyler Oshiro launched a ball that carried and carried toward Enchanted Lake appearing destined to land in the thick growth over Kailua’s leftfield fence The Kailua outfielder retreated and made a brilliant over-the-shoulder catch just short of the chain links as the final out of an 8-2 Surfriders victory over the Chargers in the Oahu Interscholastic Association Division I baseball quarterfinals on Thursday “He’s our best outfielder for reading the ball,” said pitcher Jayden Hunt who raised both arms in jubilation on the game-ending play but also did think it was way over his head The 6-foot-2 right-hander tossed a seven-hitter striking out three and walking one on 101 pitches to get the defending OIA champions into a semifinal matchup with top West seed Mililani at 6 p.m It also clinched a state berth for Corey Ishigo’s club Ishigo came out to talk to Hunt twice in the late innings but decided to leave him in “Jayden has been our guy all year,” Ishigo said "Brandon Moore is a great defensive player I’ve seen him do that since he was 9 years old." Kailua (8-3), the second seed out of the East, did it without an extra-base hit Kalama Carreira had two-hit games and Janson Kamau drew three of his team’s seven walks The Surfriders plated four in the fifth inning to break the game open it was quite the way to go out in the senior's final outing on his home field I wouldn’t change anything about this group Top East seed Kaiser (9-2) faces Leilehua (8-3) at 3 p.m Kaiser defeated East Honolulu rival Kalani 7-1 And Leilehua’s Jordan Orillo and Tanner Tammarine combined on a one-hitter of Waipahu in a 3-0 victory Mililani (9-2) got homers from Aukai Araujo-Waiau and Kendall Miyasato in a 12-4 defeat of Roosevelt “It's going to be rough (Friday) too,” Ishigo said Just got to go out there and battle tomorrow.” Pearl City (7-5) takes on Roosevelt (6-6) at Stevenson Intermediate for one of the OIA’s remaining state berths Brian McInnis covers the state’s sports scene for Spectrum News Hawaii. He can be reached at brian.mcinnis@charter.com Investigative stories and local news updates Coverage of the Hawaiʻi State legislature in 2025 Award winning in-depth reports and featured on-going series Get the week’s news delivered straight to your inbox costly upgrades are underway for the Kailua treatment plant But unsafe bacteria levels continue to crop up after strong storms the treated sewage that flowed into the ocean from the city’s regional wastewater plant in Kailua was found to have abnormally high levels of bacteria officials are trying to determine exactly why this latest sewage incident coincided with a storm already receives plenty of state and federal scrutiny following past cases of unacceptably high bacteria in the water amid heavy storms That includes mandated equipment upgrades so the aging plant runs more reliably and kills harmful bacteria more effectively Still, the plant remains vulnerable to sewage treatment problems caused by heavy storm flows, according to City Environmental Services Deputy Director Michael O’Keefe. That’s despite the addition of a giant Kailua to Kāneʻohe gravity sewer tunnel that since 2018 has been storing the excess millions of gallons of rainwater that flood the sewer system on the Windward side of the island Storms can affect the plant in a number of ways including washing away the biological agents used to clean the sewage it’s not clear how exactly the rain caused the plant to fail — or if it was even a factor at all “These treatment plants are very complex and anything could have gone wrong,” O’Keefe said Tuesday of the latest incident as his division awaited confirmation of test results showing elevated levels of enterococci according to the National Institutes of Health crews posted signs warning swimmers to stay out of the water near where treated sewage is released into Kailua Bay The city will conduct a more intensive investigation into what might have caused the levels to rise above what state and federal regulators consider safe In 2023, the state Department of Health fined the City and County of Honolulu more than $400,000 for excess levels of bacteria in treated sewage over 13 days in April and May of that year On a couple of those days the levels were six times higher than the state limit a clear violation of the city’s permit with the Hawaiʻi Department of Health the city pointed out that the violations had occurred during heavy rains Environmental Protection Agency has issued two consent decrees in recent years requiring the city to improve how it runs the Kailua plant and make millions of dollars in upgrades Under the EPA’s September 2023 order the city was compelled to upgrade one of two “bio-towers” at the plant that is corroded and occasionally breaks down sewage is exposed to biological agents that help eliminate bacteria as it trickles through but the process depends on a sprinkler-like arm to properly distribute the wastewater through the interior a spike in bacteria levels occurred when that aging arm broke down but state and federal officials have required that the city overhaul that and other old equipment in the tower The bio-tower rehabilitation project is slated to cost about $42 million according to Environmental Services Department spokesman Markus Owens O’Keefe estimated it should be done within four years Separately, the city is reinstalling a disinfection process using ultraviolet light at the Kailua plant to more effectively kill off lingering bacteria. That UV system existed at the plant up until 2009 but heavy water flows flooded the channel and damaged electronics on top of the UV lights The UV system is currently slated to cost $11 million although an EPA report in 2017 estimated that it should only cost around $500,000 Officials have said it won’t be at risk of damage from flooding and O’Keefe said on Tuesday it should be completed by the end of the year The samples were collected Monday from inside the plant before the treated sewage was released into the ocean That sewage effluent is released at a point about 5,000 feet offshore in Kailua Bay near the Mōkapu Peninsula The city in a press release Tuesday did not specify to what extent the enterococci samples exceeded the state’s limit It did note that the levels collected the previous day were considered safe and that it would continue to test the levels in the coming days “While the Department of Environmental Services investigates the cause of the exceedance,” the release stated “we are aware the plant recently experienced high flows due to heavy rains.” More such heavy rains are forecast to arrive on Oʻahu as early as Wednesday night Civil Beat Reporter Ben Angarone contributed to this story Civil Beat’s community health coverage is supported by the Cooke Foundation, Atherton Family Foundation and Papa Ola Lokahi Unfortunately, being named a finalist for a Pulitzer prize doesn’t make us immune to financial pressures. The fact is, our revenue hasn’t kept pace with our need to grow, and we need your help Civil Beat is a nonprofit, reader-supported newsroom based in Hawaiʻi. We’re looking to build a more resilient, diverse and deeply impactful media landscape, and we hope you’ll help by supporting our essential journalism Marcel Honoré is a reporter for Civil Beat. You can email him at mhonore@civilbeat.org Civil Beat has been named the best overall news site in Hawaii for the 14th year in a row by the Society of Professional Journalists Hawaii Chapter Hawaii (KATU) — A Portland woman drowned while on a snorkeling excursion on the Big Island of Hawaii on April 30 62-year-old Lori Trende-Landgraver was visiting the Kailua-Kona side of the island on Wednesday and was on a guided trip to snorkel with manta rays Authorities say Trende-Landgraver had just received the safety briefing and was only in the water for five minutes before she returned to the vessel and complained about feeling soreness in her arms Trende-Landgraver told the boat captain that she wasn’t feeling well and shortly thereafter became unresponsive Crew members tried to revive her with CPR as the boat returned to the harbor and met with awaiting paramedics She was rushed from the harbor to Kona Community Hospital Authorities have asked the coroner to investigate Trende-Landgraver’s exact cause of death READ ALSO: Vancouver apartment fire leaves one dead, displaces 20 residents With another phase of the traffic roundabout project near Kailua Beach completed vehicles will be able to leave Lanikai and the nearby parking lots via the normal route The detour through Kailua Beach Park during phase eight is no longer necessary and parking has been restored in the lot makai of Kalapawai Market Daily parking restrictions in Lanikai have been lifted but regular three-day weekend restrictions will remain in place Residents and beachgoers have had to navigate various road closures and traffic congestion since phase one first began around late 2022 located at the intersection of Kalāheo Avenue and Kailua Road fronts Kalapawai Market and is a heavily frequented area Remaining work from phase six was delayed due to water line conflicts and resumed Thursday It's expected to be completed by mid-April The ninth and final phase is planned for May and June Kalāheo Avenue will be closed between Kuʻukama Street and Kailua Road visitors are encouraged to explore other beaches or take TheBus Route 671 from Kailua Town For more information, visit the project's website. Hawaii — Kai Hirayama rode a perfect wave in the Oahu Interscholastic Association baseball semifinals The Mililani ace registered a perfect game against Kailua retiring all 21 batters he faced in a 1-0 decision at Hans L’Orange Park on Friday afternoon He needed 90 pitches to do it, with 65 strikes, according to ScoringLive Hirayama’s two-out triple in the bottom of the fourth scored the game’s only run Mililani (10-2) takes on Kaiser (10-2) in a meeting of top West and East seeds for the OIA title at 6 p.m Some of Hirayama’s toughest outs against the defending OIA champions came in the top of the fifth, when he got through a 10-pitch at-bat by Kailua’s Kalama Carreira. He induced a pop-up to the next batter and right fielder Kamea Chun made a nice diving grab to preserve perfection, per ScoringLive's Kalani Takase Ryne Yoshimura has now caught a perfect game and no-hitter from Hirayama who did the latter at Campbell on March 26 Zayne Hookala took the hard-luck loss as he tossed a three-hitter with nine strikeouts and no walks for Kailua Mililani is going for its fifth league title and first since it three-peated under coach Mark Hirayama from 2018 to 2022 (with pandemic-cancelled seasons of 2020 and 2021 in between) Kaiser routed Leilehua 13-0 in five innings thanks in large part to a 10-run first inning in which 14 Cougars went to the plate Center fielder Jesse Shinagawa went 3-for-3 with a double The last of Kaiser’s five OIA baseball titles came in 1993 under Corey Okamura KAILUA – The City and County of Honolulu Department of Transportation Services (DTS) will implement additional parking restrictions starting this Monday in an effort to reduce the amount of congestion coming in and out of the Lanikai neighborhood during the ongoing construction of Phase 8 of the Kalapawai Roundabout project The City’s Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) will ban parking in the Kailua Beach Park parking lot makai of Kalapawai Store This is the parking lot between Lihiwai Road and Kailua Road currently used as the detour to leave Lanikai expected to last the duration of Phase 8 construction will reduce conflicts and congestion for vehicles leaving Lanikai Digital and hard signage will be posted at the Lihiwai Road entrance to the parking lot DPR reminds park visitors that parking is still available near the Canoe Hale and the boat ramp DTS will ban parking on the makai-side unimproved shoulder of Kawailoa Road between Popoiʻa Road and ʻAlalā Road fronting the Kailua Beach Park Canoe Hale parking lot Parking will be restricted daily between 10 a.m This will also reduce traffic conflicts for vehicles leaving Lanikai Special duty police officers may be deployed as needed “DTS will implement these additional parking restrictions with input from the Lanikai community and Councilmember Esther Kiaʻāina “We are committed to implement refinements to our traffic plans to reduce congestion and delay bringing relief to Lanikai residents and visitors we ask visitors to consider other beaches on Oʻahu or take TheBus Route 671 from Kailua town.” Visitors may consider other beaches along Oʻahu’s east shore or choose to ride TheBus Route 671 from Kailua Town for convenient alternative access to Lanikai DTS will leave in place temporary “sawhorse” type signs on affected streets in Lanikai to warn drivers of the parking restrictions The City and County of Honolulu’s Department of Design and Construction announced that geotechnical work at the Kailua Beach Boat Ramp has been temporarily suspended in anticipation of high winds and a large north swell over the next two weeks Last month, the project was also suspended because of bad weather DDC originally expected to complete work for the project by April 11.  there are no additional costs anticipated because of the delays.  the DDC expects to implement temporary closures for the boat ramp and part of the parking lot to allow the contractor to complete the in-water work This work is expected to take about a week.  The geotechnical work is part of the Kailua Boat Ramp Improvement Project The contractor is conducting soil boring test sampling Soil boring is an important step in assessing and confirming the site’s geotechnical characteristics which are needed to design the improved boat ramp the ramp has been repaired several times and will require additional repairs because of constant wave action and erosion 2021 because of its worsening condition and underwent emergency repairs in the summer of the same year The boat ramp is the only man-made watercraft launch facility managed and maintained by the City and County of Honolulu.  For more information, please refer to the May 2024 feasibility study Elsie Miyashiro has worked as a school traffic monitor at Kainalu Elementary for more than a decade At the corner of North Kainalu Drive in Kailua dozens of students cross Kaha Street on weekday mornings to get to school before the first bell With her fluorescent orange vest and white gloved hands waving it in front of oncoming vehicles as she holds back a crowd of impatient students on the cusp of starting the weekend Inattentive drivers receive her sharply blown whistle trying to cut corners — they’re all in a hurry to go somewhere,” Miyashiro said “Sometimes people try to bypass me when I’m busy looking at the kids I wish the drivers would go slowly for the kids’ sake.”  said she earns about $18 an hour from the traffic division of the Honolulu Police Department HPD hires her for two hours a day to handle Kainalu Elementary School’s petite pedestrians a range of students from preschool to sixth grade She’s one of 16 school traffic monitors on Oʻahu.  She learned about the job as a grandmother to a sixth grader at Kainalu Every day when she’d walk her grandson to school she’d talk story with the friendly school crossing guard So she called the police department and inquired about taking over the job By the time she took over as guardian of the intersection her grandson had graduated to middle school Miyashiro lives only a five minute drive from the school And in between her morning and afternoon crossing guard shifts she hands out utensils and cleans up trays in the cafeteria The public school whose pupils she guards is five minutes from Marine Corps Base Hawai‘i A third of the student body is the product of military families The school itself opened in 1954 on land donated by Harold Kainalu Long Castle Kainalu means “water” (kai) and “wave” (nalu). The school mascot is a dolphin Miyashiro takes her retirement gig of more than a decade seriously She owns her own set of orange traffic cones and begins each shift by standing them up along the intersection are a signal that there is a correct path to safely traverse the crossing Asked if there has ever been a collision on her watch And I don’t know how I would live with myself if there were!” The job of school crossing guard comes with no enforcement powers Miyashiro cannot write citations or make arrests “Sometimes parents are in a rush to drop off at school or to pick up,” she said “but I tell the parents to take it slow One of the joys of the job is how many people Miyashiro gets to see each day Students exchange high-fives with her as they cross the street Drivers who regularly travel the intersection smile and wave Miyashiro said she hopes to usher students across the street as they go to and from school for as long as she has the strength to show up for work — in thunderstorms or pelting rain or under the punishing heat of the Hawaiian sun “Thank goodness we don’t have snow,” she said David Croxford is the Visuals Editor for Civil Beat. You can reach him by email at dcroxford@civilbeat.org or follow him on Instagram at @cbphotoguy. The City and County of Honolulu’s Department of Design and Construction announced that geotechnical work at the Kailua Beach Boat Ramp has been temporarily suspended this week because of bad weather and surf conditions DDC expects the work to resume the week of March 31 with the project’s completion date pushed back from April 11 to April 25 The work will take place on weekdays from 8 a.m The schedule remains subject to changes based on weather and tide conditions according to a news release from the DDC.  Hawaii residents and visitors should be aware that access to the boat ramp may be restricted for safety reasons parking on the east side of the adjacent parking lot will be limited while work is ongoing The DDC is advising people to avoid the area The geotechnical work is a key component of the Kailua Boat Ramp Improvement Project Pacific Geotechnical Engineers and Sea Engineering the consulting firms overseeing the project will conduct soil boring tests to assess the site’s geotechnical characteristics The tests will include five borings: two in-water tests at the base of the existing ramp and three on land above the waterline These soil samples are critical for designing the planned improvements to the boat ramp the Kailua Beach Boat Ramp has undergone several repairs over the years because of constant wave action and erosion 2021 because of its deteriorating condition followed by emergency repairs in the summer of that year Additional repairs are needed to ensure the ramp’s long-term stability and usability The Kailua Beach Boat Ramp is the only man-made watercraft launch facility managed and maintained by the City and County of Honolulu Department of Environmental Services the City and County of Honolulu’s Department of Environmental Services (ENV) reported an elevated count of enterococcus bacteria in a single sample of treated effluent collected Dec from the Kailua Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) it has been determined the reported information was incorrect due to a laboratory calculation error The corrected analysis confirms the enterococcus bacteria count in the treated effluent was in full compliance with the single sample daily maximum limitation under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit for the facility The previously reported elevated count was inaccurate and there was no exceedance of the permitted levels any warning signs posted as a precaution will be promptly removed The city remains committed to transparency and public safety. Water quality samples are regularly collected at seven shoreline stations in Kailua Bay near the WWTP and are posted in real time on the ENV Kailua Shoreline Water Quality website The public is encouraged to visit this site to stay informed and make decisions regarding recreational activities in the area We apologize for any confusion caused by the earlier report and appreciate the community’s understanding Copyright © 2025 Department of Environmental Services HONOLULU – The City and County of Honolulu’s Department of Environmental Services provides the following update regarding the Kailua Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP): The test result of an effluent sample taken Feb has shown the enterococcus bacteria count is within the daily National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit limit for the Kailua Regional WWTP and the January 31 exceedance is not continuing The city remains committed to transparency and public safety. Water quality samples are regularly collected at seven shoreline stations in Kailua Bay near the WWTP and are posted in real time on the ENV Kailua Shoreline Water Quality website KAILUA – The City and County of Honolulu’s Department of Transportation Services (DTS) announces the completion of Phase 8 of the Kalapawai Roundabout project traffic exiting Lanikai via Kalāheo Avenue is now allowed The Phase 8 detour through Kailua Beach Park is no longer necessary and parking has been restored in the Kailua Beach Park parking lot makai of Kalapawai Market parking restrictions on the Lanikai loop have been lifted though regular three-day weekend restrictions will remain in place Remaining work from Phase 6 which was delayed due to water line conflicts and is expected to be completed by mid-April Visitors are encouraged to explore other beaches along Oʻahu’s east shore or take TheBus Route 671 from Kailua Town for convenient access to Lanikai By Allison Schaefers New parking restrictions start Monday in Kailua that are expected to continue through Phase 8 of the Kalapawai Roundabout project and are aimed at reducing congestion in the Lanikai neighborhood during construction The Honolulu Department of Parks and Recreation will ban parking in the Kailua Beach Park parking lot makai of Kalapawai Store between Lihiwai Road and Kailua Road which is being used as the detour to leave Lanikai The department said parking for Kailua Beach Park is available near the Canoe Hale and the boat ramp Additionally,the city Department of Transportation Services will ban parking on the makai-side unimproved shoulder of Kawailoa Road between Popoia Road and Alala Road The city said parking will be restricted daily between 10 a.m similar to restrictions in the rest of Lanikai DTS Deputy Director Jon Nouchi said in a statement “We are committed to implement refinements to our traffic plans to reduce congestion and delay we ask visitors to consider other beaches on Oahu or take TheBus Route 671 from Kailua town.” Additional information on the project, construction schedules, detour patterns and remaining phases can be found at kalapawaiproject.com The city’s Department of Transportation Services has added more parking restrictions starting Monday to reduce congestion in and out of the Lanikai neighborhood during Phase 8 of the Kalapawai Roundabout project Parking is banned in the Kailua Beach Park parking lot between Lihiwai Road and Kailua Road makai of Kalapawai Store This area is currently being used as a detour to leave Lanikai and the ban will last throughout the Phase 8 construction to reduce congestion for vehicles leaving Lanikai Digital and other signs will be posted at the Lihiwai Road entrance to the parking lot Visitors to the park can park near the canoe hale and the boat ramp parking is banned on the makai-side unimproved shoulder of Kawailoa Road between Popoia Road and Alala Road in front of the Kailua Beach Park canoe hale parking lot “DTS will implement these additional parking restrictions with input from the Lanikai community and Councilmember Esther Kiaʻāina and the Honolulu Police Department (HPD),” said DTS Deputy Director Jon Nouchi in a news release we ask visitors to consider other beaches on Oahu or take TheBus Route 671 from Kailua town,” Nouchi said Earlier in January, DTS had asked visitors to avoid the area and initiated the parking restrictions in an effort to ease congestion during project hours Temporary parking restriction signs will be placed on affected streets in Lanikai Anyone traveling through the area should allow for extra time to get through Kalapawai and expect congestion during construction times For more information on the project, including schedules, detours and more, visit the Kalapawai Project website Emmanuel Clase’s latest shortcoming was Joey Cantillo’s opportunity The Cleveland Guardians’ struggling closer blew a three-run lead in the ninth inning against the Pittburgh Pirates at PNC Park on Sunday a Kailua High graduate in his second MLB season got the nod from manager Stephen Vogt for the 10th and worked a scoreless inning for his first career save The 25-year-old left-hander issued a leadoff walk to Joey Bart but got Oneil Cruz to ground into a 4-6-3 double play He then got Enmanuel Valdez to line out to right stranding ghost runner Jack Suwinski at third and completing a 5-4 win and three-game series sweep Teammates flipped the ball to Cantillo on the postgame on-field celebration who in 2024 was one of the game’s elite closers with a 0.61 earned-run average has an ERA of 7.84 in 11 appearances this season has a 1.59 earned-run average in 11 1/3 innings pitched this season He has struck out 14 batters and walked five Another Cleveland reliever with Hawaii ties He has a 1.64 ERA in 11 innings pitched with 14 strikeouts to four walks Kailua – Honolulu’s largest wastewater system upgrade has been completed as announced today by Mayor Kirk Caldwell during a press conference The Kāne‘ohe-Kailua Wastewater Conveyance and Treatment Facilities Project mostly known for the Kāne‘ohe-Kailua gravity sewer tunnel phase includes an innovative three-mile-long underground gravity sewer tunnel “The Kāne‘ohe-to-Kailua Gravity Sewer Tunnel was finished with innovation minimal negative impacts and a maximum level of community outreach and information,” said Mayor Caldwell “I want to emphasize that our team has created a world class sanitation facility that will last for generations while also protecting the environment that’s so important to our island lifestyle This first of its kind project in the state of Hawai‘i allows sewage to flow by the use of gravity instead of using energy and being pumped under pressure 400 feet below the surface at certain points which should be sufficient to handle storm events the pump station has state of the art redundancy to avoid problems should there be a failure of one of the pumps This is a project the entire community can be proud of.”    which uses gravity rather than electricity to move wastewater to treatment was completed within budget and will save sewer ratepayers money on energy costs while at the same time substantially reducing the likelihood of a sewage overflow during heavy rains on O‘ahu’s windward side The gravity tunnel slopes from a depth of approximately 39 feet below ground level at the Kāne‘ohe Wastewater Pre-Treatment Facility (WWPTF) down toward the Kailua Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) “The city’s team remains vigilant despite recent global recognition that ranked Honolulu No director of the Department of Environmental Services “This project is one of several in the works that brings the best technology to our island home and protects our environment and quality of life on many fronts.” The Kāne‘ohe-Kailua Wastewater Conveyance and Treatment Facilities Project prevents spills by increasing the region’s wastewater system storage and is the most ambitious of the city’s 424 projects designed to fulfill the 2010 Global Consent Decree with the U.S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the state Department of Health the city has completed 100 percent of its consent decree projects ahead of this year’s June 30 deadline Bowers + Kubota Consulting was awarded the construction management contract for the Kāne‘ohe-Kailua Wastewater Conveyance and Treatment Facilities Project for all three phases of the project Southland Mole JV was contracted to construct Hawai‘i’s first sewer tunnel using a tunnel boring machine (TBM) named “Pohakulani” by Aikahi Elementary’s robotics team was specifically selected for this project and assembled on site The TBM started in Kailua in April 2015 and completed its boring in June 2016 Hensel Phelps served as the general contractor for phases two and three Phase two took 28 months (Feb 2016-June 2018) to complete and included the construction of a new tunnel influent pump station (TIPS) generator/medium-voltage electrical distribution building and 15 MGD capacity mini-Kailua influent pump station at the Kailua Regional WWTP TIPS will lift wastewater from the gravity sewer tunnel into the Kailua Regional WWTP included construction of a new tunnel influent facility (TIF) and instrumentation work at the ‘Āhuimanu-Kāne‘ohe Diversion Structure the ‘Āhuimanu-Kane’ohe Drop Structure and Junction Structure; a new generator/electrical Building; and odor control system improvements at the beginning of the tunnel within the Kāne‘ohe WWPTF Once all three phases were completed and water flow tests were successful the wastewater entering Kāne‘ohe WWPTF was diverted to the tunnel by various diversion The tunnel is now in service and is using gravity to carry wastewater from Kāne‘ohe to Kailua where it is being pumped to and treated at the Kailua Regional WWTP the existing force main that is no longer active will be decommissioned Two years before the contract was awarded for the project a community outreach program was launched to open lines of communication between affected residents and the City and County of Honolulu so that questions and concerns could be shared and addressed during the design phase the city was able to revise the initial tunnel alignment to address concerns To minimize concerns regarding construction noise and vibration a noise and vibration monitoring program was instituted and a project website was developed to provide the community access to regularly updated construction and project information For more information about this project, visit www.kktunnel.org MEDIA NOTE: An informational graphic illustrating the project’s three phases, a fact sheet and other resources are available at the following link: https://tinyurl.com/y92uaywv HONOLULU – An elevated count of a specific type of bacteria was measured in a single sample of treated effluent collected at the Kailua Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) Jan which was higher than the single sample daily maximum limitation for enterococcus under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit for the Kailua Regional WWTP While the Department of Environmental Services (ENV) investigates the cause of the exceedance we are aware the plant recently experienced high flows due to heavy rains The sample was collected at the effluent monitoring station before discharging at the deep ocean outfall located approximately 5,000 feet from the shoreline at a depth of 105 feet below the surface of the water. Enterococcus analysis requires a 24-hour test.  The most recent prior single sample The city will continue to collect daily samples of the treated effluent at Kailua Regional WWTP until the data confirms that effluent enterococcus levels remain within the permit limit. During this time signs will be posted to stay out of waters near the outfall This notification will be updated upon confirmation of the city’s additional monitoring efforts During this time, the city will also continue to collect daily samples at the seven shoreline stations at the beaches in Kailua Bay near the WWTP and post the results in real time on our website. To view the latest data, please visit https://www8.honolulu.gov/env/kailua-water-quality-data/. This website exists to allow the public to make their own informed decisions about entering beach waters The state Health Department this afternoon issued a brown water advisory for Kailua Beach on Oahu due to heavy rain The department “advises beach users to stay out of waters when the water appears brown or murky especially following storms or heavy rain.” the water may contain higher than normal pollutant levels which recommends staying out of the water for 48 to 72 hours after rain has stopped Additionally, swimming, wading in, or drinking water from any freshwater streams or pond is not advised due to the possibility of contracting leptospirosis — a bacterial infection caused by the Leptospira bacteria turn around,” said DOH in the advisory Enrolling in Hawaiʻi’s public schools is a straightforward process that involves determining school eligibility and completing an application either online or in person We are committed to providing a high-quality education for all students and we look forward to welcoming your child to our school system. Learn how to determine your school through the SchoolSite Locator App The Department provides bus service in neighborhoods around the islands to ensure broad access to educational opportunities for Hawaiʻi’s students and serves about 25,000 student riders across the state.  Students who consistently attend school are more likely to achieve academic excellence students gain access to a world of knowledge and develop the confidence to reach their full potential.  educational specialists and staff to foster equity and excellence in our public schools skilled and passionate professionals who will help bring the Department’s Strategic Plan to life stories and events from Hawai‘i public schools 1390 Miller St. Honolulu, HI 96813Main Line: 808-784-6200Email The City and County of Honolulu’s Department of Parks and Recreation State of Hawaii’s Department of Land and Natural Resources’ Office of Conservation and Coastal Lands and “future” community groups will be coming together in phased efforts to preserve a popular section of the Kailua shoreline experiencing significant erosion The groups will focus their efforts on the Lanikai side of Kailua Beach Park between Kaelepulu Stream and Ocean Safety Lifeguard Tower 8B DPR crews already began work in November removing four tree stumps and trimmed 14 trees to reduce the chances of their falling crews will return to the area to push sand accumulating along park pathways and the comfort station further makai They will also remove non-functioning park infrastructure such as undermined concrete pads and inoperable irrigation OCCL and Hawaii Sea Grant will then coordinate with the community on installing geotextile fencing designed to capture and retain the fine sand before planting native ground cover trees and creating pathways to further stabilize the shoreline expected to be done later in 2025 Another “sand pushing” will be conducted before the planting will continue to be an issue. A healthy coastal ecosystem with vegetated dunes can mitigate some of the impacts,” said Amy Wirts in the release Wirts is a Sea Grant agent who works with OCCL “We have found that landscaping with native ground cover and native shade trees such as kou or milo Community-led dune restoration projects at locations such as Oahu’s Sunset Beach and Kanaha Park on Maui have been very successful and we hope to replicate that success here,” Wirts said In order to minimize the impact to beachgoers and recreational users Meetings for a community working group will be scheduled to coordinate efforts among members of the public and longtime Kailua Beach users, according to DPR. Those interested in taking part in the community working group can email c.rossideleon@honolulu.gov and awirts@hawaii.edu “A big mahalo to all of the state and park staff as well as our future collaborative partners who are pulling together to help protect one of our most precious natural resources,” said Nate Serota with the Honolulu Department of Parks and Recreation “We want to make sure the community is both kept in the loop on this restoration effort and given the opportunity to be part of the positive change So we can all be stewards of this magnificent coastline our goal is to utilize our shared māna‘o to act strategically and preserve the beach in a functional and sustainable manner so it can be enjoyed for future generations to come We look forward to sharing much more with the community as we progress through this kākou effort in 2025,” Serota said The 2022 Hawaii Dune Restoration Manual outlines part of the dune restoration effort for Kailua Beach Park although this particular stretch of shoreline and the greater Kailua Beach dune system are considered stable erosion has narrowed the beach with observable changes over the past five years over 70% of beaches in Hawaii and 60% of beaches on Oahu are in a state of chronic erosion with an estimated 5.5 miles of beach already lost on Oahu In the 2022 Sea Level Rise Guidance Update the Honolulu Climate Change Commission suggests sea level will rise by 3.8 feet throughout the state by 2100 The Hawaii Department of Transportation said Monday around 10 a.m that a collision involving a motorcycle blocked both lanes on the Pali Highway after the tunnels in the Kailua-bound direction the HDOT said both lanes of Pali Highway Kailua-bound had been reopened Oahu #hitraffic 3/24/25 11:30AM: The left lane on Pali Hwy. Editor's note: This story has been updated with infromation regarding the reopening of both lanes